-The Jacksonville metropolitan area, which includes
three beach cities and Clay, Baker, Nassau and St. Johns
counties, has a population of more than 1,000,000
residents.

-Jacksonville covers 841 square miles (217,559 hectares).

-Joint management agreements with national and state park services give Jacksonville the largest urban park system in the United States.

Jacksonville lines both banks of the St. Johns River, the state's longest river, which empties into the Atlantic Ocean about 20 miles from downtown. The St. Johns flows north for 310 miles before turning east to the ocean at Jacksonville.

Jacksonville's deep-water port is the 14th largest in the U.S. and handles shipments from around the globe.

The "River City" is Florida's most populous city as well as its leading financial and insurance center. Jacksonville has almost 800,000 residents, and the six-county Northeast Florida region has more than 1.1 million.

There is room to grow on Florida's First Coast. When the city was consolidated with Duval County in 1968, Jacksonville became the largest city in land area in the contiguous United States, covering 841 square miles. The area's population increased by more than 21 percent between 1990 and 2000, making Jacksonville's commitment to managed growth especially important.

Jacksonville has one of the lowest overall costs of living in Florida and the U.S. The area's cost of living is 92.6 percent of the national average, with housing and utilities being the best bargains. The median age of Jacksonville residents is 35.3. The average household income is $50,475, while the median household income is $40,792.

The city's appeal has been reinforced by national media, including a steady ranking among the "top ten best places to live" by Money magazine. Plus, for the second time in fours years, Jacksonville tops Expansion Management Magazine's list of "America's Hottest Cities."

From seashore to forest, nurtured by the majestic St. Johns River, Jacksonville offers wonderful opportunities for visitor and resident alike.

PARKS
With 57,373 acres of parks, including state and federal lands, Jacksonville now ranks No. 1 among U.S. cities in gross acreage for parks and is in the top 10 in the percentage of acreage in the city devoted to park land. The wide variety of parks ranges from small neighborhood playgrounds for toddlers to biking, hiking and horse trails to athletic fields to boat ramps. There also are vast areas of unspoiled natural wilderness, much of it newly acquired by the city. From the quiet dignity of an oak forest, to the vastness of the salt marsh, Jacksonville's nature parks have an abundance of flora and fauna to satisfy the tastes of the casual observer or the dedicated nature hound. We ask that you share our special respect for the native inhabitants of these natural places. Where do you want to play today?

BEACHES
As much for its beautiful beaches as anything, Jacksonville has become known as Florida's First Coast. Unlike much of the rest of Florida, the First Coast's miles of beaches remain relatively unspoiled and unfenced. The Beaches communities in Duval County -- Atlantic Beach, Jacksonville Beach and Neptune Beach -- also offer some of the best sport fishing, boating and water sport opportunities in the country. A stroll along the beach might yield a collection of seashells, a view of the porpoise and northern right whales that cavort off the coast, or merely the relaxed state of mind that ocean waves can foster. Mayport Naval Station is home to many U.S. ships, including two aircraft carriers. Nearby, many fishing boats ply the waters for a variety of fish and shrimp.

JACKSONVILLE ZOO
The Jacksonville Zoo, north of downtown, is a natural wonderland growing and changing daily, with more than 1,000 rare and exotic creatures. Covering about 70 acres along the St. Johns River, the zoo has the only walking safari in Northeast Florida. A true family adventure, the Jacksonville Zoo offers an entertaining and educational experience for visitors and residents of Florida's First Coast. For more details, check out the zoo's web site.

SPORTS COMPLEX
Alltel Stadium
When it comes to spectator sports in Jacksonville, there's no question that football is king. And the king's throne is Alltel Stadium, which opened in August 1995, and is home of the Jacksonville Jaguars of the National Football League. The stadium is the centerpiece of the city's sports complex on the eastern edge of Jacksonville's Downtown, on the western banks of the St. Johns River near the Hart and Mathews bridges. The 73,000-seat Alltel Stadium has been selected as the site of Super Bowl XXXIX in 2005. The stadium is also the site of two annual college games events -- the Gator Bowl Classic and the annual Southeastern Conference match up of Florida and Georgia. Occasional concerts and other special events are also held at the stadium.

Alltel Stadium was built in less than 20 months, faster than any major-league stadium has ever been built in North America. That allowed the Jaguars to be the first expansion team in sports history to play its first home game in its first season in a new stadium or arena.

The Baseball Grounds of Jacksonville
Thousands of baseball fans came out to celebrate the completion of the Baseball Grounds of Jacksonville, on April 4, 2003. Located northeast of the intersection of East Adams Street and A. Philip Randolph Boulevard in the Sports Complex, the new ballpark has a seating capacity of 10,000 and is home to the Jacksonville Suns. The red brick exterior complements both the new arena and the historic St. Andrews Church, which sits adjacent to the site.

Jacksonville Veterans Memorial Arena
Construction is under way on the new Jacksonville Veterans Memorial Arena. The arena is being built just west of A. Philip Randolph Boulevard in the Sports Complex. The red brick exterior will complement both the new baseball park and the historic St. Andrews Church, which sit directly across A. Philip Randolph. With a capacity of 16,000, it will attract national level entertainment that Jacksonville has missed out on in the past. The new arena will also be professional/NCAA sports capable to host arena football, hockey and basketball. The arena is expected to be completed in fall 2003.

The Duval County Veterans Memorial Wall that showcases the names of more than 1500 local military personnel who lost their lives while on active duty will remain at the current site and will be enhanced with the addition of a one to two acre park. A mayoral-appointed oversight committee is overseeing the planning and construction of this enhancement.

Downtown Jacksonville
Downtown Jacksonville is where the Old South meets urban chic, and you can experience everything this thriving metropolis has to offer. From cafes and boutiques to museums and galleries and more than $1.6 billion in redevelopment projects, our downtown renaissance has begun.

THE JACKSONVILLE LANDING
The hub of Jacksonville's growing entertainment district in the Downtown area, The Jacksonville Landing is a cool place to dine and shop on the St. Johns River. From North Florida and around the United States, millions of people enjoy The Jacksonville Landing's festive mix of shops, restaurants and eateries and its hundreds of entertainment events annually. The Landing is also one of the best visitor attractions in the city, attracting a large share of the 5.18 million visitors that come to Jacksonville.

The French arrived on Florida's east coast in 1562. Jean Ribault met the native Timuqua, exchanged gifts, and claimed possession in the name of the king of France by implanting a stone monument visible to subsequent ships.

A colony was established in 1564, only to be eliminated by Spanish forces from nearby St. Augustine in 1565. Florida's northeast coast was under Spanish control. The French did not attempt another colonization. Nothing remains of the original Fort de la Caroline. And St. Augustine, not Jacksonville, is now known as the nation's oldest city.

Centuries later during the frontier years, cattle were driven across the river at a narrow place where a marker now stands at the foot of Liberty Street. From the south bank, an Indian trail led to St. Augustine. The Native Americans named the area Wacca Pilatka, which was translated to Cowford by English settlers. Before 1820, the larger settlement was on the south bank, where the guns of Fort St. Nicholas guarded the passing ships. A stone marker beside Atlantic Boulevard points to the fort's location.

Florida became a U.S. territory in 1821 and was granted statehood in 1845.

"The accepted date for the founding of Jacksonville is June 15, 1822," Jacksonville historian James R. Ward wrote in his book Old Hickory's Town. The Jacksonville Historical Society says that June 15, 1822, was the date on the petition sent by local settlers to the U.S. Secretary of State asking that Jacksonville be named a port of entry. That is the earliest known use of the name Jacksonville here.

Jacksonville's first charter, creating a town government, was approved by the Florida Legislative Council on Feb. 9, 1832.

Jacksonville's first mayor was William Mills. At that time, the office was called Intendant, which was a holdover from Spanish times.

Lumber was a major business in Jacksonville prior to the Civil War. Tourism was big business in the 1880s. After the building of the jetties in the late 1890s, port business grew. Jacksonville was the first film center during the silent movie era. The development of military bases after World War II had a dramatic effect on the economy, as did the attraction of insurance and banking headquarters.

In 1986, the Mayo Clinic opened its Jacksonville facility, the first extension of the famed Mayo Clinic outside of Rochester, Minn.

In 1994, the National Football League awarded its 30th franchise to Jacksonville. The Jaguars began play in 1995 in Alltel Stadium, which has been selected by the NFL as the site of Super Bowl XXXIX in 2005.

The French arrived on Florida's east coast in 1562. Jean Ribault met the native Timuqua, exchanged gifts, and claimed possession in the name of the king of France by implanting a stone monument visible to subsequent ships.

A colony was established in 1564, only to be eliminated by Spanish forces from nearby St. Augustine in 1565. Florida's northeast coast was under Spanish control. The French did not attempt another colonization. Nothing remains of the original Fort de la Caroline. And St. Augustine, not Jacksonville, is now known as the nation's oldest city.

Centuries later during the frontier years, cattle were driven across the river at a narrow place where a marker now stands at the foot of Liberty Street. From the south bank, an Indian trail led to St. Augustine. The Native Americans named the area Wacca Pilatka, which was translated to Cowford by English settlers. Before 1820, the larger settlement was on the south bank, where the guns of Fort St. Nicholas guarded the passing ships. A stone marker beside Atlantic Boulevard points to the fort's location.

Florida became a U.S. territory in 1821 and was granted statehood in 1845.

"The accepted date for the founding of Jacksonville is June 15, 1822," Jacksonville historian James R. Ward wrote in his book Old Hickory's Town. The Jacksonville Historical Society says that June 15, 1822, was the date on the petition sent by local settlers to the U.S. Secretary of State asking that Jacksonville be named a port of entry. That is the earliest known use of the name Jacksonville here.

Jacksonville's first charter, creating a town government, was approved by the Florida Legislative Council on Feb. 9, 1832.

Jacksonville's first mayor was William Mills. At that time, the office was called Intendant, which was a holdover from Spanish times.

Lumber was a major business in Jacksonville prior to the Civil War. Tourism was big business in the 1880s. After the building of the jetties in the late 1890s, port business grew. Jacksonville was the first film center during the silent movie era. The development of military bases after World War II had a dramatic effect on the economy, as did the attraction of insurance and banking headquarters.

In 1986, the Mayo Clinic opened its Jacksonville facility, the first extension of the famed Mayo Clinic outside of Rochester, Minn.

In 1994, the National Football League awarded its 30th franchise to Jacksonville. The Jaguars began play in 1995 in Alltel Stadium, which has been selected by the NFL as the site of Super Bowl XXXIX in 2005.